IPSWICH boss Jim Magilton is demanding his players step up their fitness levels.As he prepared his team for tonight's trip to Wolves, the Town boss admitted: “As far as I'm concerned pre-season hasn't finished yet.

By Mel Henderson

IPSWICH boss Jim Magilton is demanding his players step up their fitness levels.

As he prepared his team for tonight's trip to Wolves, the Town boss admitted: “As far as I'm concerned pre-season hasn't finished yet.

“I want us to be fitter. We want to get on the ball more and believe it or not you have to be fitter when you have the ball.”

Magilton's quest for his first league victory continues this evening at one of his favourite football haunts.

With the disappointment of Saturday's opening day defeat by Crystal Palace hard to take, the Town boss welcomes the opportunity that presents itself at Molineux.

He said: “I think it's important to get going again without waiting a whole week for the next game to come round. I am really looking forward to it.

“Throughout my time in football visits to Wolves have always been special. I've always loved going there. It's a fantastic place to go and play football.

“I absolutely love it. It's a big club and the fans there are very passionate about their football. There should be a cracking atmosphere.

“Wolves have been out of the Premiership for three years and must be desperate to get back and Mick McCarthy is a good appointment. He has a great track record.”

Former Sunderland boss McCarthy succeeded Glenn Hoddle last month and tonight's game will be his first in charge at Molineux.

He saw his new-look side battle back to earn a point at Plymouth on Saturday and will be looking for them to go one better this evening in a fixture they have dominated in recent seasons.

Ipswich's last away win over Wolves came almost 15 years ago, in November 1991, when John Lyall's team were en route to the old Second Division title.

David Linighan and Jason Dozzell scored the goals as Town recovered from the blow of falling behind and gained a 2-1 win.

Since then they have made nine visits to Molineux - eight in the League and one in the FA Cup - which produced five draws and four defeats.

Skipper Jason De Vos is a slight doubt for tonight's game with a knee strain but Magilton grinned: “Knowing the big man he'll be fine.”

Magilton is still considering his options and would not be drawn on the likely line-up, doing nothing to clarify the situation as he rather mischievously added: “We might be unchanged - but we might not.”

His opinion of Saturday's defeat is unchanged. “We had a poor 15 minutes and paid for it,” he said. “But I can't knock the players' efforts because they kept going and on any other day we'd have got a result.

“Palace are a decent side who will be up there at the end of the season. We were in control for 45 minutes but I can't remember anyone winning a medal for a good 45 minutes.”

Wolves could be without new signing Gary Breen after he picked up an ankle injury at Plymouth, when seven players made their debuts.

SQUADS

WOLVES: Murray, Clyde, Craddock, Breen, Naylor, Ricketts, Henry, O'Connor, Olofinjana, Clapham, Cort, Bothroyd, Edwards, Gobern, Davies, Frankowski and Oakes.

IPSWICH: Supple, Wilnis, De Vos, Naylor, Harding, Peters, Bruce, Williams, Currie, Bowditch, Forster, Richards, Lee, Haynes, Clarke, Sito, Parkin and Price.

Referee: Trevor Kettle (Rutland).